Friday, June 28, 2013

Oral Health Crisis in 88% fluoridated Wisconsin

Wisconsin is 88% fluoridated - Update from WDA Mission of Mercy clinic floor: By the time this two-day event at Badger High School closes Saturday, roughly 2,000 people will have received about $1 million in charity care from more than 1,200 volunteers, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, Marquette University School of Dentistry students and community helpers.

A large number of people in Walworth County work in the service industry, often at minimum wage and without benefits. MOM is a moving, real-life illustration of the urgent need for Wisconsin to make “Healthy Choices” to help remove barriers to oral health care for its citizens.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Fluoridation & Organized Dentistry Lead the US to a Dental Health Crisis

More people are heading to the emergency room with dental problems, an increase largely driven by young adults who don't have dental benefits, according to the ADA Health Policy Resources Center. The number of dental emergency room visits in the U.S. increased from 1.1 million in 2000 to 2.1 million in 2010, according to the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The survey also showed dental ER visits as a percent of total ER visits increasing from 1.06 percent in 2000 to 1.65 percent in 2010—a change HPRC cites as statistically significant.

Based on various estimates on the average cost of a dental ED visit, it cost the health care system anywhere from $867 million to $2.1 billion to treat dental conditions in hospital emergency rooms in 2010, according to HPRC.

Without further interventions from policymakers, dental [ER] visits are likely to increase in the future, straining our health care system and increasing overall health care costs," the research brief said. "Now more than ever, innovative solutions are needed to improve access and oral health."